Solid North bus firm faces P130-M suit over SCTEX crash

Metro Manila, Philippines - The bus operator behind the fatal tragedy at the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) - Pangasinan Solid North Transit - is facing a total of P130 million in civil complaint for damages, the Department of Transportation said.

On Friday, May 23, the agency assisted the families of road crash victims in filing the complaint against the company, its president, and the bus driver.

The family of the coast guard personnel who died with her husband is asking P50 million for loss of income and moral and exemplary damages. In addition, families of the victims in Antipolo, Rizal filed a separate civil complaint for damages worth P80 million.

Ten people were killed in the May 1 tragedy after a bus rammed into other four vehicles at the tollway.

In a chance interview on Friday, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said he instructed the legal counsel to seek maximum damages possible from the bus operator.

“Hiwalay ito sa criminal cases na ifa-file. Nag-file din ang DOJ ng criminal cases,” he said.

[Translation: This is different from criminal complaints. The Department of Justice also filed criminal cases.]

The bus operator’s entire fleet was put under a 30-day preventive suspension.